Stupid White Men [antikvár]

H FOREWORD TO THE PAPERBACK EDITION r^ STUPID WHITE MEH was written in the months leading up to September 11, 2001. It was supposed to have been shipped to the stores on that day. Instead, the publisher held it back—and then insisted I rewrite it, taking out passages they found offensive for a post-9/11 America. In the end, I refused to do any "rewrite" or participate in anj^ing that smacked of censorship. The publisher, in turn, refused to release the book. After five intense months of negotiations, threats, and a bit of a miracle, the publisher gave in and released Stupid White Men on February 19, 2002—exactly as I had written it. I think if HarperCollins had it to do all over again, they probably would have just released this book without any of the drama. Hindsight, in my case, is forgiving. In those days after 9/11, no one was thinking clearly, everyone was afraid, and anyone who makes a mistake in judgment during a time like that needs to be cut some slack. The whole struggle did remind me, however, of the importance of being vigilant in protecting our freedom of speech especially during a time of national crisis. The worst way to defend our freedom is to let our leaders start taking away our freedoms! It is exactly during times like these that we need more freedom of speech, a strong and critical independent press, and a citizenry that is not afraid to stand up and say that the emperor has no clothes and even less of a brain. If we lose our courage to